DianneJ.Gordon

Dianne J. Gordon 1958 - 2013 GRANBY - Dianne J. (Sousa) Gordon of Kendall St., Granby, wife of Torrence Gordon and daughter of Frank and Charlotte A. (Dike) Sousa passed away peaceably at Baystate Hospital four days after suffering a severe stroke July 5. She was a rare human being as she loved everyone and everyone loved her in return. All realized that if they needed help that she would answer without question of hesitation. She was born in Winchester, MA. She graduated from UMass-Stockbridge, which her love of animals led her to attend. The love of family, friends and animals was a 24 hours a day dedication and when her kittens became ill she found a late night veterinary hospital to care for them. A three-sport athlete at Granby Junior-Senior High School she was one of two girls that were first to compete on a boys varsity team, track, making local history. She as an all around athlete making 110-foot deep scuba dives on the world's second largest barrier reef off the Yucatan Peninsula among battling giant moral eels and a 10-foot wrasse that stuck its nose against her mask that left her sky blue eyes filling her mask, reef sharks and barracuda. She skied most of the mountains of the northeast with her mother Char, sister Joanne Corbitt and brothers Steve and Doug and later became a ski instructor at Mt. Tom Ski Area. She hiked to the peaks of many mountains as the family attempted to climb the highest mountains in each state as the country celebrated its 200th birthday. Her joy for the outdoors carried further into her life after she married the love of her life Tory Gordon, a love that carried to the end of her earth life and now carries into eternity. Together they introduced their children Brendt, 16; Suzanne, 14; and Dylan, 12 to the wonders of the worlds of skiing, hiking the high hills and the kids fielding baseballs and softballs she hit out of her hand to them. Horses were her love since she was able to walk beneath them without hitting her head. A trot with Suzanne on Vigor and Barnably was a common sight from between their home and Dufresne Park, where she also watched her daughter as she ran through the fields and woods as a member of the Granby High School track team. Suzanne learned to stand up to bullies from her mother whose family stood for no bullying, and long before and in its wisdom joined the "No bullying" cause. She rode with many friends but a ride with her dad along with a favorite friend, the late Debbie Thompson, into the Holyoke Mountain Range to explore and sleep under the stars and big trees was a lifetime remembrance. One night on that trip a loud noise sounding like a gunshot near where the horses were tethered rang out. Her dad told the girls to "stay low" as he crept toward the noise. Dianne and Debbie didn't always obey and joined the crawl toward possible danger. It was discovered that the 'bang' was a spooked horse that reared and snapping its tether. Dianne's sister Joanne joined her on many rides including one in the ocean when tiny Dee-Dee held onto big sister Jo-Jo for a combination of safety and love. Joanne inherited a horse termed "too wild" to ride, Zepher (The Wind) but within weeks the sisters would rest their heads on the sleeping horse. "The Wild One" would nudge them gently before he attempted to get up. Dianne was a girl, then a woman of all seasons. In her married life she and Tory cooked over flames in the dark of the evening with Brendt, Suzanne and Dylan- watching the sparks drift skyward joining the fireflies and then the stars. Dianne and Tory were owners and editors of Woods and Waters USA, an outdoors magazine which they operated out of their home for more than two decades with Tory working from pre-dawn to after dark, and with Dianne doing everything from being chief cook to bottle washer. Dee-Dee loved to work with her mother Char who was copy editor. Dianne's kindness started young. Whenever a family walked by and a child looked longingly at Dianne's gentle pinto Gypsy, Dianne invited the child to board the horse and then she would walk Gypsy with her arm securely around the child. Hundreds and more were introduced to the thrill of being on horseback. Besides her loving husband and parents she leaves behind her loving older sister Joanne and her mate Rene Lariviere and Jo's children Heather Koesler and her husband Greg, and her son Sam and his wife Caron and their three children. She leaves her brother Steve, the pastor who married Tory and her, and Steve's children Laura Wilkinson and husband Jim and their three children; Natalie Hill and Matt, and their two children; and Candice; Frankie Sousa and his bride to be Steffie; Faith, Nickie, and Caleb, with his and Lucy's children Mihaela and Madalina. Dianne also leaves a brother Doug who adored his "Twinki" and his wife Renee, who was Dianne's earliest horse back riding companion, and their two children Jacquelyn and her significant other Jose, and Dougie. She also leaves her back up grandmother Carolyn (Dike) Messier and husband Bill; Tory's daughter Heather and her son Ryan, who offered loving support. She also leaves her Texas family including her Uncle John Sousa and cousins Cindy and Gary Abbie, Danny Sousa and Laurie Roberts and their children. She leaves her Aunt Linda Phelps. And her family; brother-in-law William Gordon and his wife Dr. Carol Gordon of Great Britain. She also leaves loving friends, too many to list, who know who they are. Calling hours will be held at the Ryder Funeral Home from 4-7pm on Sunday with a memorial service Monday at 2pm at the Church of Christ in Granby where Dianne was christened and later married to Tory, beginning two lives as one. She passed on surrounded by her adoring family and loving and caring staff at the Critical Care Fourth Floor wing of the Daley Section, Baystate Hospital. In lieu of flowers those who wish to donate to the Gordon Children Scholarship Fund may forward such to Easthampton Savings Bank, 605 Granby Road, South Hadley, MA, 01075. RYDER FUNERAL HOME 533-1735